Shadows In The Forest
by A.H. Jenkins
Summary: SLASH. Pippin has a nightmare and Merry is there to comfort him. Sam learns something about Merry and Pippin.


Pippin was having a nightmare. Not the normal sort of nightmare mind you, where you're running as fast as your little hobbit-legs can carry you and you don't seem to be going anywhere. The sort of nightmare where you don't know you're dreaming. The sort of nightmare that when you wake up will jolt you out of bed and onto the floor with a thud.  
  
Pippin span around as he heard a twig snap...but there was nobody there. He shivered, and wrapped his arms around himself as a chilling breeze blew through the forest. The forest; specifically the Old Forest near Hobbiton (the wrong side of the Brandywine, his father had once told him). Pippin stepped backwards and into a tree, jolting back to his senses. There was someone else here. But who? And where?  
  
"Pippin, what the hell are you doing here?" a voice called, stepping out from the shadows.  
  
"Merry!" Pippin cried, and ran over to him, throwing his arms around him. Merry shoved him to the floor.  
  
"What are you doing?" Merry cried, and backed away from Pippin. "After what you put me through?" Pippin gaped.  
  
"What? Merry, I..."  
  
"Don't deny it now, Peregrin Took!" Merry shouted, and Pippin almost ducked from the volume. "I don't know how I can even bear to be speaking to you now."  
  
"Merry, what are you talking about?" Pippin sobbed, reaching out for the other hobbit's hand. Merry snatched it away.  
  
"You know what I'm talking about," he snarled. Pippin shook his head, tears flying from side to side.  
  
"No, no I don't, Merry!" he replied. Merry kicked Pippin's ankle in disgust and walked away. "Merry?" Pippin sniffled vulnerably, clutching at his ankle. "Merry?"  
  
"Merry?" Pippin sobbed, louder this time. Pippin wrapped his arms around his head and wept, softly at first, then in heart-wrenching gulps that shook his tears from his cheeks and made him shiver as if cold. What had he done? Whatever it was, it was bad, because Merry had never acted like that, let alone hurt him before. His sobs slowed down, and he was left in a pool of tears and melancholy, not sure which way to go or how to act. He was broken. Broken and vulnerable, and since he could not get much lower, he pillowed his arms about his neck and slept.  
  
--  
  
"Pippin!" a voice was yelling. It was getting more frequent and more urgent. "PIPPIN!" a voice cried. Pippin groaned and pulled his hands over his ears, not wanting to wake up in fear of what he might face. The one shouting pulled Pippin's hands from his ears and pinned him to the...the bed? "Pippin, wake up! It's Merry! You're here, you're home, you're safe, please wake up!" Pippin opened his eyes very slowly.  
  
"Merry?" he gasped in disbelief, and threw himself into the other hobbit's arms. "I'm so sorry, I'm so so sorry," he sobbed into Merry's shoulder. Merry wrapped his arms around his lover and shushed him.  
  
"It was only a nightmare, Pip. Only a nightmare." Pippin rubbed his eyes and looked at Merry. "Tell me what happened."  
  
"I woke up - well I suppose I fell asleep - and I was in the Old Forest, and you were there, and you-" Pippin snivelled, and clutched at Merry's shirt to remind him he was back to normal. "You pushed me away," he mumbled into Merry's collar.  
  
"Oh, Pip," Merry mumbled and pulled him closer. "I'm the one that's sorry you had to go through that," he whispered.  
  
"I thought it was real," Pippin replied. "I really thought it was real..." he trailed off. Merry pulled back from him and held Pippin's head in his hands.  
  
"Well it's not," Merry stated. "Alright? It's not real. It's not real..." Merry kissed Pippin softly, and wrapped his arms around him. "It's not real and it never will be," Merry whispered and kissed him again, on the lips and on the nose and on the neck...  
  
"Merry," Pippin whispered, "I get the idea." Merry pouted. "But did I say you should stop?" Pippin questioned, and kissed Merry again.  
  
--  
  
Sam turned down the east wing corridor and towards Pippin's room to see if Merry had calmed him (he presumed he had, the screaming had died down). He opened the door, but about halfway closed it again.  
  
"Mr. Frodo," he said, coughing, as he went back down the corridor. "I think Pip's alright now."  
  
"Oh?" Frodo asked. "What makes you say that?" Sam blushed.  
  
"He and Merry are...y'know..." Frodo chuckled.  
  
"Has Rose not taught you about this yet?" Sam's eyes widened.  
  
"Mr. Frodo, what are you suggesting?" There was a twinkle in Frodo's eye.  
  
"Oh, nothing," he said innocently, and strolled back down the corridor. Sam sighed. It must be the Brandybuck and the Took in Mr. Frodo getting to him...after all, they were from the wrong side of the Brandywine. 


End file.
